Experts to chalk out better traffic formula

ROSHAN KUMAR

NIT-Patna

Strengthening the public transport system and creating better infrastructure facilities would be the focus of experts sitting on Sunday to discuss short- and long-term plans to make commuters’ lives comfortable.

The ideas would be floated at a seminar on “Infrastructure Development in Bihar: Strength, Opportunities & Challenges” organised by the Institution of Engineers (India), Bihar State Centre, and National Institute of Technology (NIT), Patna, on March 2.

Governor D.Y. Patil would be the chief guest of the function, while former chairman of All India Council for Technical Education S.K. Khanna, road construction department secretary Pratyaya Amrit and national president of Institution of Engineers A.K. Basa would grace the occasion.

The daylong seminar assumes importance as experts would discuss ways to make the city traffic system more dedicated and streamlined. Sanjeev Sinha, the convener of the seminar and the civil engineering head department, NIT-Patna, said: “During the daylong seminar, experts would discuss various modalities to make the Patna traffic system more streamlined.”

“Areas such as road surface improvement, intersection signals, traffic flow plans such as one-way streets, developing and barricading footpaths and foot overbridges are some of the short-term steps that could be adopted to ease traffic problems,” said Sinha.

The seminar assumes importance as over 60,000 vehicles hit the roads in the state every year but the roads have not been widened for years. There is a lack of permanent parking places for autorickshaws, compounding commuters’ woes.

A large number of delegates from academia, industry and research organisations across the nation is expected to take part in the seminar. They would deliberate on the subject — how a cost-effective and systemic public transport system was the need of the hour. Sources said NIT-Patna, during the seminar, would release a souvenir concerning the improvement of the public transport system in Patna and Bihar.

Sinha added that apart from short-term solutions to traffic problems, improvement of public transport system such as adopting an underground traffic system, construction of metro or mono rail and introduction of bus rapid transit system (BRTS) could help ease the city’s traffic congestion.

Sources said almost 23 per cent of two-wheeler owners, more than 25 per cent of regular autorickshaw users and about three per cent of car owners have shifted to BRTS in Ahmedabad after its introduction.

The experts would also discuss on how to develop infrastructure in and around Patna, which lacks better town planning system as in metropolitan cities.

Sinha said: “In town planning, there is a concept of counter magnetic planning, which deals with infrastructure development of areas around any major cities. Developed suburban areas not only reduce the population pressure in the main cities but also help in the econo- mic development of people living there.”